Our Farm
The farm from which we source exclusively is located in Cayambe, Ecuador. On the Equator and at 9,240 ft. above sea level, our greenhouses are in one of the most charming landscapes in the country. Our water arrives directly from Cayambe’s volcano springs. The farm enjoys superior year-round climate conditions, high-nutrient soil, unparalleled luminosity and long daylight hours: the ideal environment for growing roses.
Our soil is naturally rich in nutrients and is constantly being supplemented with organic materials- primarily produced in-situ by recycling all foliage remains through our humus and composting systems. Sophisticated equipment measures humidity and nutrient content. A central computer then sends the appropriate dose of the required compounds to each bed through hydro-compensated hoses.
Our soil is naturally rich in nutrients and is constantly being supplemented with organic materials- primarily produced in-situ by recycling all foliage remains through our humus and composting systems. Sophisticated equipment measures humidity and nutrient content. A central computer then sends the appropriate dose of the required compounds to each bed through hydro-compensated hoses.
Small rolling highway cars smoothly get the harvest to the pre-cooling room (10 °C) less than 15 minutes after cutting time. Roses receive treated water with natural additives that protect the stem, the foliage and the bud against plagues (i.e. botrytis). We constantly replace our water and clean our refrigerated rooms to avoid contamination and damage. The pre-cooling phase lasts between 6 hours and overnight.
The elaboration of bunches and bouquets is carried out by our experienced workforce. Depending on product specifications, stems are first de-leafed, followed by the removal of outer petals and are then sorted by length, bud size, and cutting point.
Bunch and bouquet makers take the pre-sorted stems and perform the critical task of arranging the flowers, according to the specifications of each order. Excellence in quality is achieved by strictly observing and following the company’s established protocols, as well as welcoming innovations that might in any way improve the quality of our product.
Once the export product is ready we add nutrients, which improve our flower’s durability. Boxes remain in our cooling rooms (1-2 °C) for 24 hours prior to shipping. The cooling phase guarantees quality and stem durability. Bunches and bouquets are securely attached to the box with tie downs to avoid shifting during transport. Finally, our refrigerated trucks transport the rose boxes to the Quito International Airport.
As featured in MSNBC Red Tape Chronicle (Feb 9, 2010)